Medano Pass

Walsenburg, Colorado 81089

The trail crosses open pastures, streams, dense woods, and rocky hills, and ends with a roller coaster ride winding through the sandy lowlands of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Medano Pass forms a unique gateway through which wind currents carry and deposit their sandy payload to form the massive dunes of the Monument. This route is a back way to Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Camp in numbered designated sites only along route inside park or at Pinon Flats C.G. Picnic next to stream at base of giant sand dunes. Fall color. Fee required entering or leaving park at main gate on south side. Unlicensed vehicles are allowed on marked roads in national forest but not inside national park. Mostly easy with a few steep, rocky spots. Soft sand in park. Numerous water crossings can be deep in the spring.

Medano Pass

1Walsenburg, Colorado 81089

The trail crosses open pastures, streams, dense woods, and rocky hills, and ends with a roller coaster ride winding through the sandy lowlands of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Medano Pass forms a unique gateway through which wind currents carry and deposit their sandy payload to form the massive dunes of the Monument. This route is a back way to Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Camp in numbered designated sites only along route inside park or at Pinon Flats C.G. Picnic next to stream at base of giant sand dunes. Fall color. Fee required entering or leaving park at main gate on south side. Unlicensed vehicles are allowed on marked roads in national forest but not inside national park. Mostly easy with a few steep, rocky spots. Soft sand in park. Numerous water crossings can be deep in the spring.

Medano Pass Professional Guide

Detailed Trail Description from our Guidebook

"The trail crosses open pastures, streams, dense woods, and rocky hills, and ends with a roller coaster ride winding through the sandy lowlands of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Medano Pass forms a unique gateway through which wind currents carry and deposit their sandy payload to form the massive dunes of the Monument. This route is a back way to Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Camp in numbered designated sites only along route inside park or at Pinon Flats C.G. Picnic next to stream at base of giant sand dunes. Fall color. Fee required entering or leaving park at main gate on south side. Unlicensed vehicles are allowed on marked roads in national forest but not inside national park. Mostly easy with a few steep, rocky spots. Soft sand in park. Numerous water crossings can be deep in the spring."

Medano Pass Trip Reports

This is a great 4WD trail. Beautiful scenery, interesting drive. Definitely 4WD with high clearance and we did most if it in 4WD low/1 and 2 gear. There are some great camping spots along the way too, and even though this was Saturday of Labor Day weekend, there were several open. This is a moderately difficult drive for someone comfortable with 4WD. Some very tight turns, rock climbs, water crossings and do air down your tires at the west end once you're in the Great Sand Dunes National Park as the sand is very soft.